I don't have any of the aforementioned problems with this cleanser. I love it. I've been using the 3-step system for about a year now and I love it.

The cleanser itself smells incredible. I love it. At nighttime it really helps me to relax and makes me sleepy. In the morning, it helps to clean up my stuffy morning nose.

It doesn't do anything crazy-amazing. It cleanses very lightly. The toner does most of the work. I would recommend the clinique toner with this, as it's great at toning and taking off your face make-up. Without a good toner, this cleanser is a worthless purchase. I only have it because it's part of the 3-step system. If I switch to another system, I would never buy this separately. Like I said, it's not crazy-amazing. I've used cheap neutrogena cleansers that are better than this, in that they take off make-up.

This was the worst part of the 3-step system. It definitely beats the bar of soap, and while it didn't make me break out, it didn't do anything for my skin either. The toner and moisturizer are worth the money, but this definitely is not.

I bought the 3 step system for oily skin about 6 months ago when I had lots of acne and very oily skin, but quit using when it didn't seem to do anything. My skin was looking a lot better recently, so I've been really lazy about my cleanser choices. I was mostly clear with a basic Origins one and a Neutrogena, so two days ago I figured I'd use up this Clinique one, thinking it couldn't do too much harm. WRONG. I now have four HUGE painful cysts on my face and lots of little whiteheads in clusters. Two days ago I had NO acne. I don't know what it is with Clinique, but I have had more problems with their products than any other brand. I haven't tried anything by them that doesn't break me out horribly, and I've tried a lot (my mom is devoted to them and has been pushing their skincare and makeup on me since I was 14).

Unfortunately, this just did not work for me. I am in the minority here, but in case anyone out there has the same issues, this review will let you know that you arent alone!I bought this and was really excited to use it. I started using it regularly and got some serious cystic acne breakouts. I stopped using this cleanser and it slowly cleared up. So I stowed this out of the way in my closet. After several months, I decided to try this again. I worked it into my skincare regimen. I used it maybe a few times a week. I did not notice any appreciable results from it for controlling oil, but I just wanted to use the bottle up. I am using Peter Thomas Roth BHA 2% Acne wash and I cant use that every day because it can dry your skin out, so I used the Clinique most days of the week. I was happy at first because I wasnt breaking out, so I upped the usage. BIG mistake. I have really bad cysts now. Around my mouth and my jawline. I kept up with the Clinique to see if I could suffer through some sort of "purging" before it got better. After 4 weeks of using this, and half the bottle left to go, I had to just stop.I'm not sure what it is in the cleanser, but my skin just cant deal with it. I like Clinique in general and I really like the packaging and price on this. But it is just not worth it to me.

I have been using this product for a few years now. The packaging is really nice. The controlled top makes usage easy. This product cleans deep and is quite effective to my oily/combination skin. It does make my face a bit dry after rince it off, particularly on my cheeks.

I would not use this during the winter but it is a great product to use during the summer. I have not experienced any side effect with this. I would not recommand it to people with sensitive skin since it can be a bit strong.

I started using this because I get it for free for being a Clinique consultant. I love how it makes my face feel, and my skin has started clearing up since using the 3 step. I just hate using so many products! I took a lippie off because this product is not designed to remove makeup, you need an additional product to do that.

A little on the spendy side (about $17 at Macy's), but the best cleanser I have ever used. I got a sample a while back and finally got the normal size recently. This is actually a cleanser for people with oily skin. It took me a while to get used to the fact that Clinique doesn't have fruity or obnoxiously potent smelling products, but I'm sure that's why they work so well. I love how it's refreshing, tingly, nice and cool to perk you up when you're getting ready for the day, and a nice fresh feeling before bed. My only complaint is sometimes I do experience a slight dry-tight feeling after washing, but it's not a burning or long lasting feeling. My skin stays clean even if I go to the gym after washing. It looks and feels clean! I will advise it's not great at removing eyemakeup. This is also a product you can be quite conservative with. One little light pump, it lathers so well, you don't need a lot, which is a great money saver! I love this product.

I got this first when I had mild acne and heard abt Clinique products...started using this twice to thrice daily and my skin looked a lot more fresh and oil-free. The acne disappeared and didn't reappear despite travelling to different countries with different climates. I was close to finishing my second bottle of this when I discovered the rinse-off foaming cleanser by Clinique so I abandoned this for that just for the luxurious feeling and the tube packaging. This is comes in a nice pump bottle that you can lock during travel...so I would use this again if I ever have to! :D Both of them cost approximately the same, but I feel this formula for oily skin will dry u out slightly more than the foaming cleanser.

After a friend raved about Clinique's skincare line, I decided to give it a shot, encouraged by my mom's patronage some years ago.

I disliked the strong smell of the cleanser at first. It smelled really harsh and alcoholic, which startled me at first. Then, I got used to the smell, or held my breath, as I washed my face. The first thing I noticed was that my skin didn't feel tight after I stepped out of the shower. A huge plus.

However, I wouldn't recommend using the cleanser on its own since your face would feel dry and uncomfortable after a while.

Update: I'm on my second bottle and truly, this is my favorite cleanser of all time. The 3-step routine has worked wonders for me. Friends have been complimenting on how clear my skin looks and any acne disappears within days. Thank you, Clinique.